October 4, 2015

The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1993

And the reading challenge continues!  As stated in a previous post, my librarian friend Ashley Lambacher of the Book Talker and I are hosting the Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge.  Our goal is to read all the past winners from the children’s book category in chronological order from 1982 to the present.  I will read the K-2 picture book winners and Ashley will read the 4-8/3-5 chapter book winners.  Because 1992 was skipped, today I continue my challenge by reading the winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1993,The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle.

The Very Quiet Cricket is another celebration of nature by Eric Carle.  But unlike The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Busy Spider, this book has a special element sure to entertain young readers. In this story, a small cricket hatches one day and is welcomed with a chirp by a large cricket.  But when the tiny cricket rubs his wings, he is unable to speak in return.  On each double-spread page, the baby cricket is greeting by a variety of insects but he remains silent.  Finally, he spies another cricket and attempts to greet her.  "And this time . . . he chirped the most beautiful sound that she had ever heard."  Readers are then rewarded with a mechanically produced cricket's chirp as they turn the final page.  Typical of Carle's style, the language is simple, with rhythm, repetition, and alliteration.  The colorful cut-paper illustrations are classic Carle, full of color and expression.  It’s not surprising to find an Eric Carle book on the list of Buckeye Book Awards.  Carle’s distinctive illustrations and creative stories remain classic reads for children then and now, making The Very Quiet Cricket a notable winner of the 1993 Buckeye Book Award.

Ashley, your upcoming 1993 Buckeye Book Award read is Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Schwartz.  I know you dislike scary stories, so best of luck to you – it’s okay to read it with the lights on!

Would you like to join Ashley and I as we read through Ohio’s award winning books?  We welcome any and all who are interested in participating in this fun reading challenge.  For more information, click here.
 


1 comment:

  1. Oh, Eric Carle. I've always loved the paper collage effect in artwork, so I've always been drawn artistically to his books. I have to admit I'm not familiar with this book of his, but the story reminds me a little of Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White -- only the swan still couldn't honk, and had to rely on a trumpet to communicate. I love that you get to hear the actual cricket sound at the end! As you said, it's no surprise that an Eric Carle book was selected by Ohio students as a winner. Adults and kids alike adore his stories and artwork.

    Yes, I have the final Scary Stories book up next! Funny how that happened to land in October...the lights will be on for sure!!

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